August 2007 Archives

Suffice it to say - we're settling in. Wednesday I stayed home and we all hung out as we all got used to living together.

On Thursday I went into work for a little bit. As I was leaving Carol got pretty upset and tried to get her shoes on to leave with me - screaming and crying - while the whole time Jhon-Fredy just kept waving and saying "CIAO AMIGO!". It was pretty funny. But we really just had to treat it like a band-aid - quick and painful. Apparently after I left Carol cried for a bit but then settled down. The rest of the day she called me every so often to report on her day. Friday when I left it was much better - she gave me a kiss good bye and then reported her day to me at various intervals throughout the day. On Saturday her and I were sitting at the kitchen table having cereal together - me in a t-shirt and boxers and her in her PJs - and she asked me if I was going to work that day. She got really smiley when I said no. She asked me again Sunday morning as well. I hope tomorrow morning she'll understand.

On Thursday when I got home I found that Donna's sister had sent us one of the most useful things we have received so far - a Radio Flyer Red wagon. Since Thursday I think we have put at least 5 miles on it - the kids LOVE riding in it while Papi or Mami schlep them up and down the hills of Pittsburgh. For ANYONE who is going to Bogota and adopting more than one child - skip the stroller and go with a wagon. This thing rocks - it even has cup holders! Anyway we've been taking a lot of walks around the neighborhood and getting to know the neighbors.

Since being at the house we have found a few more of the kids favorite activities - here's the top 5 - in no particular order:

1. Stare out the front bay window at nothing in praticular - just watch things happen out front


2. Wash dishes in th kitchen sink - We knew they liked to play in the bathroom sink at the hotel in Bogota but they really like to pull a chair up to the kitchen sink and wash their sippy cups.


3. Dance in their car seats - especially Anji - the minute she hears ANY song she starts moving her hips


4. Riding around the block in the wagon - they will literally - all 3 - go down into the garage and get into the wagon then yell for Donna or I to come down and take them for a walk.


5. Talk on the phone - When the phone rings they immediately ask to talk to whoever it is on the line - and they don't care if that person speaks Spanish or not.

Oh - and tonight - there was a Steeler pre-season game on. Carol learned how to wave her terrible towel and how to pronounce "Hines Ward" - by the time we are a game or two into the season she'll know what 1st and 10 is and will be swooning over Big Ben...she even "high-fived" me a few times when Willie Parker had a good run...I swear they were meant to be our children!

We've also had lots of visitors and some of the families at church have been providing us with meals each night since we got back. We really have been blessed with great friends and family.

That's the quick update - things are basically going really well. We are just getting into a routine and enjoying each others company. It really is cool to hear the sounds of the house and to have it alive with the kids. I woke up this morning - and Donna and the kids were downstairs. I just laid there listening. Hearing the kids laugh...and cry...and whine...all within a 10 minute period. I could hear Donna praise, reprimand and try to explain something. I said a quick prayer thanking God for all of this...He really is an awesome God and has created these 3 beautiful children for us. I am honored to have been chosen to be their "Papi"...

later,
Scott

PS: Here's a few pics to catch up on:

Carol and Jhon-Fredy discussing the airplanes coming in to the Bogota airport - It was a riot because as they were looking out the window a plane pulled up to the the entrance ramp you see on the right - Jhon-Fredy started jumping up and down screaming and Carol hid behind Donna:

Anji - chilling in her seat on the plane to Atlanta:

Carol and Jhon-Fredy taking advantage of every perk afforded them by the airline - the pillows, the blankets and the peanuts. Sitting them together like this lasted all of 5 minutes before we had to separate them and I had to sit in the middle. The poor woman sitting in front of Jhon-Fredy had no chance of a nap after he discovered the tray table - he kept slamming it up and down - against the back of the seat (hey - she shouldn't have reserved the seat in front of a 4 year old!):

Carol and Jhon-Fredy in a rare moment of cease-fire - with Jhon-Fredy showing off his replica Colombian Nacional Futbol uniform

The kids in their car seats - we really anticipated a fight to get them to go in them but they had no problems and adjusted to them well:

Enjoying apples at Grandma and Grandpa's house:

Sorry we haven't updated in a few days. We totally expected to give one last entry from Bogota but the last night we were there the hotel was having issues with the internet connection. We couldn't even print out our e-tickets and had to deal with that at the airport. Also I want to apologize that today there will be no pictures posted on the entry. We haven't gotten everything unpacked and I really wanted to get this post up.

Traveling yesterday went really well. The kids were awesome considering all the new experiences they were dealing with. The day started off at 4a.m and ended at 9:30p.m.. 17.5 hours total (We flew from Bogota to Atlanta. Then From Atlanta to Pittsburgh). Our driver was picked us up at 5:45 - so Donna and I got up first and got things organized. It's good to know that the kids can sleep through pretty much anything because we were definitely making a lot of noise. It was 5:30 by the time we even started waking the kids up...and they were in the car in literally 20 minutes and no crying whatsoever. We think that they actually knew what was going on and realized they just had to get through the day. We got through the Bogota airport with little difficulty and had an hour to wait for our flight.

You know how sometimes you are on a plane and there is that one kid that the parents just keep having to constantly keep them in check? So the child's name becomes a mantra and by the end of the flight EVERYONE knows the kids name? We had 3 of those kids...but seriously they really were just being kids. and they were making friends and putting on a show for everyone. So by the end of the flight EVERYONE knew who Anji, Carol and Jhon-Fredy were...but in a good way. And we did meet a lot of nice people who were ready to pitch in and help translate or lend a hand with the kids.

Ok...I need to stop right here and say one thing. Our experience in the Bogota airport was BY FAR more pleasant than in Atlanta. Not to be unpatriotic but dealing with the government officials in Bogota was infinitely easier than in the US. The customs procedure in Atlanta was ludicrous. We got through every checkpoint (lugging 3 children and 6 pieces of luggage) and finally to homeland security which was the final payoff for all the paperwork we did in Colombia. We had about an hour and a half to spare when we first got there and the woman we were told we were supposed to meet with was sitting at her desk. Between the time we got there and one hour later the woman at the desk had gone to lunch - before processing us - and we saw a total of 2 people get processed while most of the officials were just standing around shuffling papers. At this point we had about a half hour t make our flight and were told we probably would not make it. When she did return, the woman took her time opening the children's packets after which she finally called us up and took no more than 3 minutes to do what we needed to do. Yes...3 MINUTES! At this point we had about 25 minutes to make it through security again...get our baggage re-checked in and then to the plane.

Getting the shoes and jackets off 3 kids, Anji in and out of her stroller, 2 laptops removed from their cases and then everything back together to continue on was a true test of our family bonding but we did it. We got the bags re-checked and literally ran through the airport to get to our gate. Carol did a stellar job of manipulating Anji in her stroller through the crowds, while Donna ran with 3 of the 4 carry-ons and I had Jhon-Fredy and one carry-on. Seriously I was really proud of us - we actually were working as a team. When we got to our gate they had held the plane for us and we just made it.

Bottom line though - it was so unnecessary. Back in the homeland security office - they were seriously causing multiple people to miss their flights - people all around us were calling and making other arrangements for other flights - we were just lucky. While the officials were dong absolutely nothing. Processing no one. I'm a little ashamed to admit that I think Donna and I had the biggest meltdowns of the day at this point - especially since anytime we asked any questions (for example - "Can you tell me where the bathroom is?") we were treated as if we were a bother and received pretty curt responses...I was not impressed...and honestly really shocked that we had received better treatment outside our country than within.

Ok I'm done. I just had to say it. That really was the only snag of the day. When we got into Pittsburgh the kids were so excited...and we were greeted by our friends, Mark and Caara and their children Carlie and Zachary. They were great for coming out and helping us get all our luggage home. They even picked up dinner for us on the way to the house from the airport!

Well the best part of the ride home was when we were coming through the Fort Pitt tunnels and the kids got the grand view of the city. Donna and I built it up as we were coming through the tunnel and started the countdown from 10. When we got to zero - we came out of the tunnel and the kids just screamed at the top of their lungs - even Anji - "YEAH!". That was the best.

It was way cool bringing them into the house for the first time too. Carol actually said "WOW!" when she saw her room and Jhon-Fredy yelled "PAPI HOCKEY!!!" when he saw all the Penguins stuff in his room then started to run from poster to poster pointing out Sidney Crosby and yelling "SIDNEY!". They followed it up with a bath and totally crashed when they got into bed - Jhon-Fredy preferred to sleep on the floor.

Today we just sorta hung out and got used to life together. Donna's sister Linda came over and helped Donna with laundry and unpacking - while I took Carol out to get some gates for the top of the steps for Anji - she was having a tough time with the steps today. I gotta say it was pretty cool taking Carol out in the car. We talked and sang and got her a new pair of sunglasses so she can cruise in style.

When we got home I did the lawn while Carol and Jhon-Fredy played outside. Then Jhon-Fredy and I played a little soccer. It's just the greatest feeling having them in the house. I don't know why - but it just feels right. Like they were meant to be here.

So day one is over and as I write this Anji is upstairs throwing a fit because Donna made her put her diaper on - for the second time - because she took it off in her crib.

Thanks to everyone for the continued support in this endeavor. We really couldn't have done this without your prayers and everyone continuing to cheer us on day to day while we were away.

We'll keep you updated.
Scott

Back in the day I used to be a huge fan of Star Trek: The Next Generation. I remember one of my favorite episodes was one where Captain Picard is being held prisoner by the Cardassians and they are torturing him. They are trying to break his will. So after each level they keep showing him these lights which there are a total of four but telling him that there are five lights total. All he has to do to be set free of his torture is say there are five lights but he doesn't give in and is rescued. But in the final scene, over a cup of Earl Grey tea with Dr. Crusher (yes I do remember his favorite drink and the names of the characters - I am a geek), he admits that if he had been there much longer he was about ready to give in and say that there were five lights to escape being tortured any further.

I think if Donna and I had to stay another week we would be ready to say that there are five lights. Not that we are being tortured by any stretch of the imagination - but it will feel good to get home and start into our lives as a family.

Seriously tho just kidding - we really don't have much to complain about. Our case was expedited quicker than normal and we really had no problems with any steps along the way. We just wanna get home now. Even Carol said to Donna tonight that she was getting kind of tired of being here and asked how many days until we leave for Pittsburgh.

Here's a few stats from our trip - as of Tuesday Aug. 21 when we leave:

• We will have been here 28 days/27 nights (one week less than expected).


• We will have eaten approximately 70 meals here at the hotel - Juanita's cooking is fantastic!


• Jhon-Fredy will have averaged dropping at least 1 piece of silverware at each of these meals - he is not partial to a particular utensil - he drops his spoon, knife and fork at pretty much an equal rate.


• Anji will have worn her bib (without a fight) at approximately 50 of these meals.


• We will have bought 5 pairs of shoes for the kids.


• We will have watched 20 episodes of "Hi-5" on Discovery Kids.


• We will have given 90 baths in on one of those little plastic baby bathtubs (the room doesn't have a bathtub just a shower - Carol looks really funny in the tub!) - this per day average is slightly skewed due to Anji's tendency to need more than one bath a day on some days.


• We will have watched at least 3 hours of Simpsons clips on YouTube (that one is ALL me).


• We will have captured over 10 hours of video and taken over 500 photos.


• We will have spent a grand total of $13 on calls to back to the States (Thank you Skype!)


• We will have posted 23 entries on the blog.


• We will have had 3 children.

So of course Jhon-Fredy HAD to explore this and when it got to be lunchtime we headed back to the hotel and Jhon-Fredy reported back to everyone on his findings. During lunch he asked if we could take Carol and Anji to show them. So after we finished eating we all walked down to the DD to hang out a bit. The kids really enjoyed it.

Alrighty - well I'm off to catch a few minutes of reading before getting some sleep...Jhon-Fredy gets up awfully early so I can't stay up like I used to.

Hope everyone is well - and please keep us in your prayers as we get ready to take the kids home,
Scott

Hola! Ok I finally gave in and decided to write an entry. I figured since Jhon-Fredy and Anji did it the LEAST I could do is add my two cents.

I have to admit the first day I met Mami and Papi I wasn't too sure what to think. I was a bit unsure as to what to expect seeing as I was the oldest of the three children and I had been taking care of my brother and sister for so long - and now I actually have time to be a kid and let Mami and Papi take care of all three of us.

I am really starting to get the hang of this 'English' - I can already count to ten and I understand a lot of what Mami and Papi say to me. Although, sometimes I pretend not to understand even though I really do - I'm 6 and I'm cute - a girl's got to use all the tools at her disposal to survive in this world.

Today - Mami and Papi bought me new shoes...again. I had worn out the other ones pretty quickly. I had seen another girl staying here with velcro AND lights on her shoes...and I figured that if I had velcro on MY shoes I could take them on and off myself without having to bother Mami or Papi. So I politely asked the girl if I could borrow one of her shoes for a second and took it to Mami and asked that since I needed new shoes could I have some with velcro. She said NO PROBLEM. So today they went out shopping and got me a pair with velcro AND lights. They are purple and pink - BOTH of my favorite colors! The lights are purple.

Mami and Papi took Anji to the store while Jhon-Fredy and I stayed here with one of the other families. Apparently when they were in the shoe store Anji started to undress IN PUBLIC. Up until now she has only been doing it in the hotel room but THIS time she was determined to be 'au natural' when she was out and about. A saleswoman at the store was FINALLY able to talk her into re-dressing and she didn't try it again. Oh man - she is a funny little kid.

She's alright though - especially compared to my little brother! He drives me CRAZY! He is SOOOO immature and he's always following me around...even when I ask him to stop. I like to annoy him too - when he asks me to stop - I just keep right on going...that'll teach him. But - I'll let you in on a little secret...I pretend not to like him but I really do love him. It's ok for me to give him a hard time but if any other kid starts in on him...forget it...that kid better watch out.

I like to use Papi's 'toys' a lot too. I really like typing on his computer...listening to his iPod and helping him document our time together in Colombia by taking as many pictures as I can. Here's a few I took the other day.

This is the bed I sleep in here at the hotel

Here's what's left of the piece of pineapple I had for dessert at lunch yesterday - I LOVE fruit - especially red apples!

And lastly - here's a picture of our toothbrushes - notice Jhon-Fredy's blue one - the bristles are all messed up. That's because he likes to wash his with soap after he's finished brushing his teeth! He's so weird...

I'm a little worried about the trip to Pittsburgh - I really have met a bunch of really nice people here at the hotel. But the other day I learned that they don't actually LIVE here! And it seems that everyone moves on. But Mami and Papi promised me I can keep in touch and I've been collecting phone numbers left and right.

The last thing I gotta tell you about me - is that I do everything in style. I don't do anything halfway. When Anji and Jhon-Fredy pitch a fit it's amateur night. They go for about 10-15 minutes tops...puh-ease...Me...I'm a pro...a true veteran of the trade. So far my record with Mami and Papi is an hour and a half - until I literally passed out sleeping...I woulda gone longer but I wanted to go easy on them.

Well, I think that's about it for now - I've gotta go practice writing my name "Carol Dayana Krebs" - I've been doing that a lot lately to pass the time.

Hasta luego!
Carol

Sorry to have waited so long to update everyone but after we received sentencia things got REALLY busy. Here's what we have been up to the last 3 days. The bottom line is we will be heading home next Tuesday, 08.21.07!

Monday started off around 4:00 a.m. I had to get up and be ready by 5 in order to start the trek back to Chinquinquira with Mario to pick up the sentencia papers. Then we headed a bit farther north to Buena Vista (the town where Carol, Jhon-Fredy and Anji were born). After that we had to go back to Chinquinquira to do more paperwork then back to Bogota. The whole day took about 12 hours. Some of the roads were unpaved and rocky so it was tough going. But it was great to see more of Colombia - especially knowing my children were from the place I was seeing.

Driving with Mario is a life changing experience. Check this out. Note the vantage point of the camera...the double yellow line...and the fact that we are approaching a bend.





I know I've said this before but Colombia is a beautiful country. I was able to get this shot of the sunrise before I fell asleep (Mario was very polite and let me just nod off).





And here is a shot of Buena Vista. It's taken from the town cemetery. It is an EXTREMELY small village in the mountains. There are these steps at the back of the town that lead a little farther up the mountain to this cemetery. Apparently when someone dies they carry the casket up these steps up to the cemetery. Pretty impressive because it's a long haul.





Donna did great back here at the hotel with the kids all day - everyone here at the hotel helped out with keeping them busy. It really is a community environment. That night after we got them bathed and in bed I fell asleep with Carol - fully clothed and with my contacts in - I was exhausted.

Yesterday, Tuesday, we went and got the Colombian passports for the kids. This actually was the most difficult procedure of anything so far. Difficult due to the fact that the kids are expected to sit for an hour or two in this extremely warm room with security guards walking around making sure no fun is being had by ANY 2, 4, or 6 year old. They were troopers though. The passport photos are pretty funny. Last night were sitting around with friends at the hotel looking at them and we came up with descriptors for each to capture the looks on each of the kids face when the picture was taken. Carol's was "The Princess"...Jhon-Fredy's was "The Lady's Man"...and Anji's was "To hell with you all...I AIN'T smiling"...she was none too happy to be going through this process and was cooperating at the bare minimum level.

We then came back and Anji took a nap, Donna started in on flight arrangements and Carol and Jhon-Fredy hung out with their friends here at the hotel. Meanwhile I was trying to get a large sum of pesos exchanged for US dollars to be able to pay the embassy today when we went to go apply for the visas. Not only did I have to find a way to get the correct amount of pesos and then get them converted...but, apparently the embassy doesn't accept any bills larger than $50s. This was not easy task but with the help of some of the folks here at the hotel with translating and to the hotel itself for floating me the pesos until this morning...we were able to arrange for the correct amount of dollars to pay the embassy.

After that we shuffled the kids off to a 6pm doctors appointment. The embassy requires that they be examined by an assigned doctor. So, very reluctantly, the kids endured the doctor's poking and prodding. They did SO well. I was really proud of them and all three seem to be in good health. Although Anji is a bit smaller than average, due to malnutrition, but the doctor said that in a few months from now she should be on the road to catching up.

We got out of the appointment by 8p.m. and the kids were pretty tired. Jhon-Fredy fell asleep on the way back to the hotel while Carol graciously provided her shoulder as a pillow.





Anji was WIDE awake and still raring to go.





Wednesday morning we were up by 6:30a.m. to meet with Mario to go over paperwork before we headed off to the Colombian embassy to apply for the kids visas - the last step. We were on the road to the embassy by 9a.m. with Andres - another driver. Cool story here. After we parked and started walking to the embassy - Carol asked if I would let her ride on my shoulders (they are really digging this - they argue over who is going to ride first or second). So I hike her up onto my shoulders and as she's getting settled in she says "I love you" to me IN ENGLISH and gives me a big kiss on my cheek. I couldn't believe it. THAT made this whole trip worthwhile.

When we got to the embassy it was quite the experience to go through security. I thought they could have at least bought me dinner before they patted me down the way they did but they were all business.

The embassy itself is HUGE but actually a very beautiful building. The waiting area is part inside and part outside - giving it this "open air" feeling. It was great for the kids because they could play outside while we waited. And we met up with another couple from Boston who were adopting an infant and were staying in a hotel not too far from where we are staying. So the kids got to play with some other children and the time passed pretty quickly. Again, they did REALLY well. I get the sense that they actually KNOW what's going on and that they j ust have to get through the waiting to get on with their lives. The business at the embassy took about 2.5 hours and we were back at the hotel by 1pm. The rest of the day the kids played and I worked a bit.

During all of this we have been battling it out with Delta Airlines and Mastercard. After we got the Colombian passports we were able to start in on travel arrangements for getting back home. When Donna called to get flight information and book the flights - Delta apparently ran oour card a few too many times and ended up max-ing out our card. So we have been on the phone with them for a good 4-5 hours trying to get this fixed. We still haven't gotten the situation resolved. But we continue to plod onward. I really hope we don't need to use our card anytime soon. The last time we called Delta they promised to have an executive representative call us ASAP to resolve the situation. That was yesterday afternoon - we have heard nothing.

Today we head back to the embassy just to pick up the visas and we are done. We just need to wait until we leave on Tuesday. Which is the earliest flight they could get us on. So we wait.

Well I think that brings you all up to date. We will try to make sure we keep things current here.

later,
Scott

Ok, we figured it was Sunday and not a lot of people really check their emails/blogs on a Sunday morning - so we took the night off last night. But here's what's been happening the last 2 days.

Yesterday, Saturday, we had a really great surprise. Donna's sister and brother-in-law had adopted their son, Mark, from Colombia a few years back and Donna had come to Bogotá with them to help out. Since then, Donna has kept in touch with her sister's attorney, Maria. Yesterday we were able to spend the afternoon with Maria and her son, Santiago. We went to the Bogotá Botanical Gardens then out to dinner. It felt great to get out with friends and the kids enjoyed running the paths in the gardens and wrestling with each other on the grass.

Here's a few pics from our trip out:


Carol waiting in line - patiently mind you - to see the Butterfly exhibit.

Anji must have run a few miles yesterday. She is getting a lot sturdier on her feet.

Dunno why but I LOVE this picture - I was standing across a pond from Carol and Jhon-Fredy and happened to catch them. I think it's the expressions on their faces that I like so much.

And lastly a sample of what we saw in the butterfly exhibit. (I was really afraid Jhon-Fredy was gonna just walk up and smoosh the ones that he saw - he tends to do that with bugs).

A bit of a funny story. Jhon-Fredy and Carol seem to be on the same bathroom schedule lately, and usually since Carol is bigger she tends to push ahead and get to the bathroom in the hotel room first - leaving Jhon-Fredy a bit dismayed and a little irritated. After we left the Botanical Gardens, we stopped at Maria's to clean up a bit before heading to the restaurant for dinner. When we got to her apartment, of course Jhon-Fredy and Carol BOTH had to 'go' and I volunteered to take them and wash them up too. When we got into the bathroom we found it was equipped with a bidet. I went to help Carol 'do her thing' and thought Jhon-Fredy was waiting patiently behind me. But alas - apparently he thought his dream had come true - he could finally go at the same time as Carol! When I turned around he was starting to 'do HIS thing' in the bidet and was quite proud of himself too. When I explained to him what it was - he thought it was the silliest thing he had ever heard of and we both had a really good laugh out of it.

We had a great dinner with Maria and Santiago and when we got back to the hotel the kids were exhausted and didn't argue when we started to get them ready for bed. They even slept in today.

As for today - we all went for a little walk after breakfast and ended up getting the kids hair cut. It was the coolest place for kids. The barber chairs where little cars and the kids got to watch Shrek III while they got their hair done. Here's the freshly cut crew:

Note the sunglasses...we bought all three kids sunglasses because they are always wearing mine. Anji lost her's on the way home from the hair salon...Carol's are already broken...Jhon-Fredy's are the last remaining - he actually hasn't really taken them off - even at the dinner table. I gotta admit - he looks pretty damn cool.

So this afternoon - Jhon-Fredy and I went to a soccer game. It was our very first sporting event together and we had a blast. I don't think he took his eyes off the ball too many times - if only to look at the cheerleaders. He talked more about them on the way home than anything else. Here we are at the game.

As for 'Colombian Whine' - Carol had a pretty rough day today. She FINALLY was able to tell us that she is getting a little nervous about flying to Pittsburgh. She said that she's not nervous so much about life in Pittsburgh but more about the actual act of flying. So we have been having A LOT of meltdowns and crying sessions.

I've mentioned this before - but when she has these incidences it is really, really apparent that there is SOOO much more to her mood than the issue at hand. It really is heartwrenching.

At the same time too - we think that both she and Jhon-Fredy are enjoying being comforted when they are crying/whiny. They never really had that - the comforting - so now that they have it they are really craving it. We are just trying our best (and praying like crazy for patience) and tag teaming when necessary.

So tomorrow I leave at 5a.m. to travel back to Chinquinquira to do paperwork and then to Buena Vista (where the children were born) to pick up their birth certificates. Donna will be here at the hotel with the kids. The drive will be about 8 hours round trip - so it'll end up being an all day affair. This is a good trial run for Donna for when we get back home and I go to work for the day.

Alrighty, I think you're all up to date now. We'll let you know how tomorrow goes. We're excited because it's a HUGE step to getting the kids home.

God bless and thanks to Jesus for our wonderful children,
Scott

So we went out today trying to just get away for a while and when we got back we received the news that we had gotten our "sentensia"! So what this means is that on Monday I will be traveling back to Chinquinquira to pick up the final paperwork on the children from the Colombian Government (the children don't need to go so Donna will be spending the day here at the hotel with them). On Tuesday of next week we will be starting the process of applying for the children's passports and paperwork to bring them back to the States. So it looks like we will be heading back home a week from tomorrow!

I didn't think this was any big deal - that it was all just part of the process...but when we got the news I cannot believe the sense of relief that Donna and I felt. We actually are gonna make it home before the Steelers season opener! We had ourselves a little celebration here tonight and at dinner all the other residents at the hotel were congratulating us and toasting our good news. This place is great...and the people here are even greater!

Of course we will keep you updated on everything as it happens.

As I mentioned today we took an outing with some great friends we have met here. They were so great with helping out with the kids while we went to the Catedral de Sal (Salt Cathedral). It is literally an active salt mine with a Cathedral carved out of it. So as you are walk farther and farther down into the earth towards this Cathedral there are miners walking past you who work in this place as well. As you descend down there are the stations of the cross carved out of salt with some really cool lighting arrangements to accentuate the sculptures. It's pretty amazing when you finally get down to the Cathedral itself. With it's HUGE cross carved out of salt as well. Due to the lighting (and lack thereof) It's pretty difficult to get good shots of the sculptures or the tunnels - but check out the website - it's in Spanish but they have some pretty good pics on there. I'll try to post some of the ones I took later on.

Speaking of pics here's a few new ones of the kids (every time I go to take a picture of Donna she refuses to let me):

Here's the beginning of the nightly "dressing/undressing" ritual with Anji:

Here's Carol today at lunch on or outing - she really LOVES to have her picture taken:

And then the three of them enjoying - yet again - ice cream:

And finally here's the opening of the Salt mine that we visited to day:

Again - we'll definitely keep you updated on what's going on next week - thanks again for everyone's prayers and love - we could not have done this without all of the support you have provided.

Scott

Here's a list of a few things that ran through my mind while I went through the day with the kids.

10. My son is obsessive compulsive.
I swear it's true. Jhon-Fredy got angry with me today when we went to go wash his hands and I put the soap on BEFORE he had gotten them wet first. Apparently there is a process to follow. And he spends 10-15 minutes washing his hands and when you go in to tell him to finish up...he says "UNO MOMENTO PAPI!".

9. There HAS to be a direct correlation between the number of meltdowns in a day and the square footage of the room a family is staying in.
Unless it's bedtime we cannot have all three children in the hotel room at one time. Carol and Jhon-Fredy constantly touch each and drive each other insane. I'm reminded of the Simpsons episode where they are riding in the car and Bart is holding his finger just within a few millimeters of touching Lisa on the shoulder and she's yelling "MOM! BART'S NOT TOUCHING ME!"

8. There are only so many times you can say "BUENO!", when your child is doing something correctly or good, until there comes a point when even THEY know you're heart just isn't in it.
Alright, alright I know you're supposed to praise your children and give them as much positive feedback as you can - but the other day Carol told me "No más Papi...por favor" cuz I think I was embarrassing her in front of the other kids while I was pushing her on the swing and apparently I was saying "BUENO!" every time I pushed her and didn't even realize it.

7. There are universal sounds that every little boy makes to indicate a car crash, a gun shot or an explosion.
As I'm writing this Jhon-Fredy is playing on the floor with his hot wheels and crashing them together making the SAME sounds I used to make when I was a kid and played with hot wheels. It's uncanny.

6. If the sippy cup is is upstairs and you are sitting at the table downstairs. Go get it. It saves you a LOT of trouble in the long run.
EVERY single time I give the kid the benefit of the doubt...I come away disappointed. I swear every time Jhon-Fredy or Anji (Carol has no problem) PROMISE not to spill their drink I fall for it. They should have kids selling used cars or something because they are the best con-men of all time. I am a complete sucker.

5. This whole thing is basically just an endurance test. A test of wills between the adopting family and the Colombian courts. We shall prevail
We are just waiting...yes just waiting...for our sentence from the courts. That's when it all goes into action. But until then...we sit and wait. So we have been getting out about every other day on tours and trips to keep the kids busy. This is the pattern that has worked best. The kids seem to like having a routine and when we go out and about too much it kind of upsets that.

What's funny is the families here talk like we are all in rehab or something "So how long have you been here? We are on day 29 ourselves...Ohhh you just got here eh? Well where are you in the process?"...and all of a sudden at breakfast lunch or dinner there's a new family in the dining area - and the conversation starts all over again.

4. The man that invented wet wipes is my hero. From poop to sticky hands to crud all over the face - wet wipes are the best And I'm SOOOO glad I like to wear cargo pants cuz I don't know what I would do without the pockets.

3. I sure hope Anji hasn't chosen a career path already.
Although she has gotten better with the 'stripping' - she continues to want to go 'au natural' in the hotel room - unless we keep her busy and divert her attention away from the fact that she has clothes on. Last night I counted 10 times that she took her pajamas on and off before she fell asleep with just her diaper on. We really don't mind so much as long as she keeps her diaper on. She favors eating fruit - and lots of them - and that makes for a very messy diaper. I couldn't imagine having to clean that up if she had no diaper.

2. A 'time-out' goes a long way in settling a situation down.
HA! You probably think I was talking about the children...but I actually mean 'time-outs' for me and Donna. Some of the families here have had to have the husband return home for work while they wait for the sentencing from the courts. Donna and I are lucky that I am able to stay here through the entire process (thanks Wall-to-Wall!) Because tag-teaming with the kids has been the key. There are times when Donna tells me to go for a walk and then there are times when I make her take a break. I don't know how anyone could do this alone with three kids PLUS get the court stuff and the paperwork done. Plus I am so glad that I am able to take this time to get to know the kids and spend one-on-one time with them.

1. For some things translation from one language to another is unnecessary.
I'm pretty sure a wag of the finger or a spanking transcends the language gap. The kids understand what they both mean (although explaining to them afterward as to WHY it was necessary is a little difficult). I also have found out that when I say "I love you" in English it gets the same reaction as when I say it in Spanish - a shy smile followed by a hug.

So that's pretty much it...there are million more things that go through your mind but these have been at the forefront of our thoughts. As I was finishing I came up with one more.

God sure does have a sense of humor.
I'm not sure why He chose us for these particular 3 children - but I gotta say when they are all crying or arguing or even just playing nicely - I smile cuz if you told me a few years back this was what I'd be doing I'd think you were crazy.

Have a great day.
Scott

PS: Here's a few pictures of the kids. I figured most of the ones I've posted are all smiles and warm fuzzies - well here's a few that show the flipside. And yes we comforted them before, during and after taking each picture. The last one is the three of them happy yet again.

This is absolutely going to be a short one tonight. We spent an hour and a half consoling Carol tonight after she was told she couldn't watch TV. And we're pretty exhausted.

She literally was screaming at the top of her lungs. It was sorta funny at times though cuz lately we have been saying words and phrases in Spanish then following it up with "en inglés" then saying the word or phrase in English. So she was yelling to have me turn the the TV on "PAPI!!! TELEVISIÓN POR FAVOR EN INGLĖS PLEEEEEEASE!!!!!!". The other funny thing is that she really could have just gotten up and turn the darn thing on herself but she chose to curl up on the bed and continue to yell over and over. I ended up picking her up and pacing with her up and down the middle of the room. And when I picked her up she immediately wrapped her arms around my neck like she was hanging on for dear life. There is definitely something more going on here than her just wanting to watch TV. Anyway the rest of her day was pretty good.

Jhon-Fredy, Carol and I went with a group of other families on a tour of Bogotá. We went to see the Gold Museum and then visited the plaza near the Presidential Palace, then grabbed a bite in a small little cafe then we were back to the hotel. The kids did great on the trip and semed to like being out and about.

Anji and Donna stayed back at the hotel because Anji had gotten up this morning, ate then went right back to sleep. Here she is getting her crib ready for bed tonight.

Well, tomorrow is our 2 week anniversary for being in Colombia. We are hoping to get our "sentensia" (sp?) by the end of this week. So next week will be spent getting things in order to go home. That's what we may be hoping but we are just praying that God continues to work His will through us and that He will give us the strength and knowledge to do whatever is best for the children.

Thanks again for all the great feedback on the blog. Glad you're enjoying it,
Scott

We learned another valuable lesson yesterday...day long trips turn into very, very long bath/bed times.

On Sunday we went to this really, really nice park called Panaca where they have all sorts of animals, we're talking horses, cows, bulls, dogs, pigs, etc., it was just amazing how cool this place was. They had horse shows and dog shows and a BUNCH of activities where the kids could interact with the animals. I tried to take as many pictures as I could but it's pretty difficult to hold a 6 year hold child (Carol insisted on being carried because she didn't want to step in poop with her new lighted sneakers!) and take pictures at the same time.

Jhon-Fredy and Anji got into the action by taking a pony ride (Jhon-Fredy went twice). Here's Jhon-Fredy on the horse after his second ride when he was refusing to dismount:

They also had an area where they make brown sugar - it has a different name but I can remember it at the moment. But they made these candies that were of course pure sugar and we let the kids have some.

And finally here's a couple of pictures from the horse show. They really do it up big.

The kids did great on the outing and it really felt good to go out. Although bedtime was a bit trying and yielded a lot of tears we did FINALLY get settled in. Today we just chilled out here at the hotel and really had a nice day all of us together.

Here's the latest on each of the kids and how they are doing.

Carol is really becoming very loving and is hugging us a lot lately. She has been EXTREMELY helpful with Anji and Jhon-Fredy. Her and I have kind of gotten the hang of communicating with each other. It's pretty funny because she will talk so fast and when you ask her to slow down she repeats what she said but so slowly it sounds like her batteries are running low. One of the best phrases I learned in Spanish is to ask "¿Cuál es éste?" ("What is this?"). Carol seems to really enjoy teaching me when I ask her what something is and I think she appreciates that we are trying our best to understand her. Her meltdowns are becoming shorter but they are still heartwrenching because it is very apparent that there is more to the meltdowns than the immediate issue of Jhon-Fredy annoying her or that she's not getting her way. She truly is a strong little girl. At night Donna and I let her fall asleep in our bed. We figure we spend a lot of time during the day taking care of Jhon-Fredy and Anji because they are younger. So we spend a little time with after we get the other two down. She seems to really enjoy the one-on-two quiet time with Mami and Papi. And oh man - tonight she fell asleep with her head on my chest. That felt so awesome.

Jhon-Fredy is still pretty easy going. He can entertain himself with whatever is on hand. Although you can tell that ANYTHING he plays with (unless it's a ball) becomes a truck or a car. Today he and Carol were coloring with markers and when he got bored with coloring he started 'zooming' the markers around the table top and crashing them into each other. But man does he love sports. I'm seriously not just saying that because of wishful thinking. From 4:30 till 6 he and I literally just kicked soccer balls against a brick wall in the courtyard. He just kept doing it over and over...and I must say that I was extremely proud when he took an inadvertent hit from the soccer ball straight to the face and kept going - didn't even skip a beat. However tell him "no" or "no mas" (no more) when he is doing something he shouldn't and he breaks into crying immediately. Today he also started to learn how to throw an American football. It was funny because when I first brought the ball out he put it on the ground and started to kick it - a la soccer - and he couldn't figure out why it was bouncing so funny. A couple minutes of showing him how to catch and throw and he is now on the road to the Steeler's 2024 training camp.

Anji has taken to streaking. Whenever we are in the hotel room she immediately strips down - diaper and all. After her bath she allows you to put a new diaper on and put her pajamas on. Then when you put her in her crib...she strips down. What's even worse is that she insists on re-dressing herself and cannot re-diaper herself and she gets very frustrated but again will not accept help. Donna was getting pretty tired of the clothes on/clothes off routine this afternoon so we spent the afternoon hanging out in the common area downstairs because Anji only seems to do this in the hotel room and hasn't undressed in public...yet. But it is pretty funny to see this tiny little kid running around the room naked with her arms flailing above her head screaming at the top of her lungs. The sad thing is that she is soooo independent. It's like when we go to help her she thinks we are going to take something away from her or do something to her. But I'll tell you what she is looking healthier by the day. She is eating non-stop.

Well, sorry this was such a long one - I just can't get over how blessed Donna and I are to have these three in our lives. I guess I just want to share it with everyone.

Have a great night and thanks for all the great feedback on the blog - we really wanted to make everyone a part of this as much as possible.

later,
Scott

Well ok maybe I'm exaggerating a bit...but today was a pretty good day. We really just hung out and enjoyed each other's company. Jhon-Fredy and I spent a little time in the park and then did some shopping. Anji is very 'anti-bib' and does not appreciate any help when it comes to eating. Which makes for extremely anxious mealtimes (especially when soup is served with pretty much every meal) and A LOT of laundry. So Jhon-Fredy and I went down to the store on a mission to see if we could find a bib that Anji would wear. We picked out one that I thought would be a total success but when we got back and started in on lunch - no dice. She wanted nothing to do with it. I suggested to Donna since she really enjoys putting on (and taking off) her clothes - especially jackets - we should just buy a raincoat and let her have at it. we'll see what we can do with the bib over the next couple of days...

We also bought Jhon-Fredy a ball cap which after we left the store he immediately asked me to take a picture of him (seen below):

While we were gone apparently Donna and Carol had some really good mother-daughter time and Carol seems to be doing a little better with things. Although she had her moments when she seemed miles away, she was giving hugs throughout the day and tonight she fell asleep lying between Donna and I with her arm around Donna and holding my hand. This kid is something else. She also has taken to doing somersaults on our bed:

And as for our darling little Anji...she had the typical Anji day. She is really something else. At one point she was running around the hotel room naked and would not allow anyone to assist her with getting her clothes (and diaper) back on and was getting more and more frustrated with the fact that she couldn't get them back on herself. She is definitely a hoot.

Is it me or is there just something about kids in sunglasses that parents can't get enough of? I know I keep posting these but the kids are fascinated with my sunglasses!
Here's Anji at one of her more 'clothed' points of the day (I believe at this point we were up to 3 layers):

Well that's about it for now. Tomorrow our escort Mario is taking us to the zoo and I've got the video camera fired up and ready. Apparently, the kids will be able to interact with the animals - including milking some cows! Jhon-Fredy told Mario that he is very interested in riding a pony.

Good night to everyone and thanks for keeping us in your prayers and thoughts,
Scott

Sorry this is coming late - last night by the time I got to do the entry - I got about two paragraphs in and fell asleep witht he laptop on my chest. Woke up at 2 and just wanted to get to sleep so here is the update on yesterday.

Yesterday was pretty good - for the most part. we all just kind of hung out and did our own thing.

Jhon-Fredy and I went to the grocery store in the morning because we found out that Carol loves red apples and we wanted to stock up because she really hasn't been eating much at breakfast. However, it turned out to be an apple eating frenzy. Jhon-Fredy ate 2 in a row plus a few other pieces of fruit...needless to say we were visiting the bathroom quite often later in the day. We warned him!

Donna was feeling a little under the weather and her and Anji took it kind of easy. In the afternoon Jhon-Fredy and I went for a walk and when I got back the doctor was here for the follow-up to her visit the other day. Anji and Carol are doing much better. The doctor even complimented Donna on how well they looked. After that Carol and I took a walk together and sat and people watched over a soda on the front steps of a nearby church. It's pretty interesting here in Bogotá. Today I'm going to try and post some pics of Bogotá - haven't really had too much of a chance to get some good shots.

Carol continues to deal with some emotional issues. She goes into a terrible crying fit whenever she doesn't get her way and seems to like to taunt Jhon-Fredy and Anji when they are crying or are upset. I truly think that she has feeling this change the most - while Jhon-Fredy and Anji are too young to know any better or remember anything about their mother.

So we have had man many meltdowns to deal with. But overall things are going pretty well. The meltdowns just indicate that they ar trusting us to show their moods - good an bad and we'll still love them. It was kind of cute when Carol was SCREAMING and crying in my arms and had to stop a second to yawn - then start back up. I just tears my heart out when she looks at me like "I really want to stop crying, Papi, but I just can't!". She is just absolutely beautiful - even when she's crying.

Here's some pics from yesterday.

We had a surprise visit from an old friend - Donna's sister Natalie adopted a child from Colombia, Mark, back in 2000 and Donna has kept in touch with her attorney. Here is Carol with Maria, the attorney, and her son, Santiago - if you look closely you can see Jhon-Fredy being very shy over Santiago's right shoulder.

Here's Carol and Anji - getting along - for a few minutes

and here's Jhon-Fredy - actually sitting still for a second...

Alright - we're off to the baby store to get some puzzles and hair pins for Carol. Talk to you tonight.

Scott

It has been a LONG day and we're pretty tired. The kids are starting to show their true colors when it comes to being brother and sisters. A lot of fighting and arguing...which is good - because it tells us they are comfortable with us and realize that we aren't going to 'take them back' like Carol was saying the other day

Today we went to the mall again to get Carol and Jhon-Fredy some shoes. The ones they had from the foster home were kinda shot already. The kids did great. When we first got to the shoe department Carol picked out some pink and white ones they were 100% girl shoes. And Jhon-Fredy picked out a pair that lit up when he walks. After, Carol saw that she just HAD to have a pair with lights. She basically ended up with the same shoes. You shoulda seen them - they were so freakin cute. Jhon-Fredy kept bumping into things on the way out of the store because he wouldn't look up from his shoes. I seriously thought he was going to want to sleep in them.

So the morning went great. But then Carol started this thing with wanting to take care of Anji and be the ONLY one to do so. So every time Donna or I went near Anji Carol would freak. All this is to be expected given the fact that this was the role she has played for a while and why should she give it up now? So we have been trying to be patient and are working with her on this as best we can - but it makes for a long day.

Anji and Carol are feeling much better today. It's amazing - we looked at the pictures from last week when we met the children and already they look different. People here at the hotel have commented as well that they have seen a change. Anji actually looks much healthier and happier. It's really something.

Lastly, I just wanna comment on my wife. She is an incredible woman - really - I'm not just saying that. She is not only a wife now - she's a 'Mami'. The other day some other little girls here at the hotel were - well lets just say - not playing nice with Carol and Anji. Just basically doing kid stuff and hiding toys on Anji so she couldn't play with them.

Have you ever watched the Discovery Channel and seen them do documentaries on Mother bears and how they protect their cubs? Well they could have gotten some good footage that day. When Donna saw what was happening she said "Oh I don't think so!" and in no uncertain terms laid down the law with the children about how they are supposed to treat each other. It was pretty funny because I don't think the other children understood a word she said - because they all speak spanish - but things sure did change after that.

Then last night -when Anji wasn't feeling good - I swear Donna was out of bed about 100 times to check on her. She has taken on this role and hit the ground running. I just love watching her with the kids.

Well, time for me to sign off. Here's a couple of pics of the kids enjoying an afternoon snack - they LOVE fruit especially oranges and bananas.

That's all for today - talk to you tomorrow.
Scott

Hola! Me llamo Jhon-Fredy. Yes that is J-H-O-N it is not a typo! I figured since Anji posted an entry I wanted to have a turn too!

My sister Carol took the picture you see above - she did a good job - no?

I am very very meticulous about my personal hygiene - in fact everyday when I wake up I DEMAND to brush my teeth the very first thing. Then I wash my toothbrush with soap afterwards - just as every well groomed man should! After that I wash my face ON MY OWN - thank you very much. All this usually takes about 15 mins. after which I leave the bathroom counter completely wet. Hey you gotta break a few eggs to make an omelette.

I LOVE sports, especially soccer. You should see me kick the ball. I have great footwork - I already know how to trap the ball. I even like to 'announce the game' as I'm trying to get the ball past Papi and when I score I throw my arms up in the air and shout "GOAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!" with the emphasis on the "L" of course.

I'm not a picky eater, I'll pretty much try anything unless I see my sister Carol decline something - then I'll say "no thanks". She has taken care of me for a while now and I pretty much trust her judgment.

I like to do other things as well. I really like to color as you can see me here showing my artistic side:

And of course I HAD to try on Papi's glasses after I saw Carol with them on:

Today was kind of tricky for my new family. Anji was sick and the doctor came to our room. He said she had the flu and gave Anji some medicine to make her feel better. The doctor also checked Carol out too because she STILL has a cough from last week. She got medicine too. They both are doing much better now.

So Mami spent a lot of time taking care of Anji and Carol helped Mami so that left me and Papi on our own to do stuff. We started by taking a walk around Bogotá. then we came back and ate lunch with 'the girls'. After that we waited till the doctor came and when she did Papi and I went out in the courtyard to play soccer. After that we all took a walk to the grocery store and when we got back Papi and I watched some Sidney Crosby hilite reels on YouTube. The way I see it hockey really isn't that much different from soccer...except you play it on ice...and you play it with sticks...but the one thing that they both have in common is that I still shout "GOAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!" when Sid the kid scores and Papi and I 'high 5'.

Well I think that's about it...except that Mami asked me to let you know that our stay here may not be as long as she thought. The next step is signing the 'sentensia' (sp?) next week and then we work on getting our passports and visas. I'll be getting my picture taken for my passport - most likely I'll be spending twice as much time getting ready THAT day!

My sisters and I are really excited about flying on a plane to Pittsburgh. Every time one flies overhead we yell "El Avion! El Avion! Pittsburgh!" ("Airplane! Airplane! Pittsburgh!").

Ok NOW I'm done *yawn*,
Buenes Noches!
Jhon-Fredy